Twenty Bucks for Everything She Wants

My husband's adopted sister never shopped online. She would always ask me to buy things for her, but every time she transferred money, it was always exactly $20.

She was the daughter of my father-in-law's fallen comrade, and the whole family pitied her for being an orphan. So whether it was skincare that cost hundreds or a phone and handbag that cost thousands, I would cover the difference myself, only accepting the $20 she sent.

Until one day, my husband, Nicholas, tested me, his tone casual but pointed.

"When Tessa asks you to buy things for her, you buy them at the market price, right?"

"She's so naive. You never send her a receipt. She wouldn't even know if you were pocketing the difference."

And Tessa just smiled helplessly, making no move to explain.

My in-laws shot me suspicious glances.

A chill went down my spine, but I didn't say anything.

So when she asked me to buy New Year's gifts for the whole familya shopping list that totaled nearly two thousand dollarsI accepted her usual payment and then bought a pile of trinkets from the dollar store.

1.

At the lavish New Year's Eve dinner, everyone stared at the pile of nail clippers, keychains, and stainless steel tumblers, completely bewildered.

I smiled brightly. "These are the New Year's gifts Tessa picked out for everyone. Please, take your pick!"

Tessa's smile was strained. "Ashley, this isn't the time for jokes. These aren't the gifts I wanted to give."

Her voice began to tremble, and she looked at my husband, Nicholas, and my in-laws with wounded eyes.

"Tessa uses her bonus every year to buy everyone lovely gifts. She's never bought junk like this," my mother-in-law said, putting down her chopsticks. "Ashley, you must have made a mistake."

A relative chimed in, "Yes, Tessa has always been such a grateful girl. The gifts in previous years were nothing like this"

I knew they wanted to say "junk," too. And they were right. In past years, Tessas gifts had included imported candies, gourmet snacks, expensive perfumes, and fine liquors. This year, the nicest item was a plain, graying stainless steel tumbler. It wasn't even in the same league.

"No mistake," I said, my voice firm. "This is it."

Tessa shot up from her chair. "Ashley, why are you doing this to me? Did I do something to upset you?"

There it was again. Whenever something happened, she always twisted it to be about her upsetting me, painting me as the cruel bully of the family.

I was about to show them the transfer record when Nicholas, who had been scowling beside Tessa, slammed his hand on the table.

"Ashley, I've had enough of you! Tessa clearly transferred you two thousand dollars to buy gifts. What is this garbage?"

"This stuff isn't even worth twenty bucks! I've let it slide when you've pocketed the difference from Tessa's other purchases, but deliberately humiliating her like this in front of everyone? You've gone too far!"

At his words, the expressions of the relatives around the table shifted.

My mother-in-law pointed a finger at me. "Ashley, I thought you were a kind and generous person for helping Tessa all this time. How could you do something so despicable?"

My father-in-law cleared his throat, his eyes filled with contempt. "Does the Pierce family not provide for you? Are you so desperate for money that you'd cheat a war orphan?"

I ignored their accusations and looked directly at Tessa, my expression innocent. "Tessa transferred me twenty dollars to buy gifts for all of you. This is what I could get."

"Ashley, how can you lie like that? I sent you two thousand! It was my entire annual bonus!" Tessa cried, her eyes darting nervously to Nicholas.

He immediately backed her up. "It was two thousand. I knew about her bonus, and I knew she asked you to buy the gifts. Stop making things up."

His declaration was so forceful that everyone believed him.

"Tessa is the daughter of a hero. She would never be so deceitful. But Ashley is a businesswoman. Profit is in her blood. I just never thought she'd stoop to this"

I raised my hand, cutting off Nicholas's uncle, and placed my phone on the table. "See for yourselves how much she sent me."

2.

Tessa froze, her first instinct to snatch the phone. But Nicholass younger cousin was faster.

He looked at the screen and burst out laughing, then passed the phone around for everyone to see.

Nicholas was the last to look. The righteous indignation on everyone's faces vanished. "Tessa, you really did only send Ashley twenty dollars."

A muscle twitched in Tessas cheek. She forced a laugh. "Oh, did I? I didn't even realize."

She slid up next to me, linking her arm through mine. "I'm so sorry, Ashley. I'm used to being frugal, so I'm not in the habit of making large transfers. I must have made a mistake. Please don't be mad. I'll send you the two thousand right now!"

She pulled out her phone, a sly smile on her face.

I was about to refuse, but Nicholas pulled her away, making her put her phone down.

"Why should you pay her? Ashley, Tessa only made one mistake. You could have just covered the difference. But instead, you chose to embarrass her in front of the whole family. What are your intentions?"

"How much have you skimmed off her over the years? It's got to be more than two thousand by now, right?" he accused.

Tessa murmured from the side, "It's okay, Nick. We're family. It doesn't matter."

I laughed coldly, watching their little performance. What was this? Were they really going to brand me a thief who cheated a war orphan, with no proof at all?

My gaze fell on Tessa. She shrank behind Nicholas, her guilt obvious.

He, of course, thought she was frightened by my stare. "You know how hard Tessa's life has been," he snapped. "She wasn't born with a silver spoon like you. She only started to have a decent life when she came to live with us, and even then, she's always been so careful not to be a burden."

"We all promised to treat her like our own daughter. But you? Her monthly salary is barely anything, and you still have the nerve to cheat her? Do you have a conscience? Are you that desperate for money?"

His words grew uglier. The looks from the others grew colder.

Tessa pretended to intervene. "Nick, please don't fight with Ashley because of me. I'll be fine." She dabbed at her eyes, darting glances at me.

I had to laugh. This was exactly what she wanted. Nicholas and I fighting over her, then she would play the victim, and he would spend the night comforting her, sometimes staying away for days. This little drama had played out countless times over the years.

Before, I tried not to think too much of it. I respected her father's sacrifice. I wanted to believe in the integrity of a hero's daughter. Every time Nicholas accused me of being unfair to her, I would wonder if I was being intolerant, and so I would bite my tongue.

But now, I was done being silent.

I looked at the circle of relatives who saw me as a petty, greedy merchant. "Since you're so sure I've been cheating her, let's settle the accounts."

3.

The moment I said that, Tessa's panic was palpable. She quickly tried to smooth things over. "Settle what? It's New Year's Eve. Let's not make a scene over something so small."

"Ashley," she said, moving closer and whispering in my ear, "making a big deal out of this won't be good for anyone. It's just about money. My godparents will never say I'm in the wrong. And you don't want to burn bridges with my brother, do you?"

A sarcastic smile touched my lips. This was the innocent, sweet girl Nicholas and my in-laws adored. When they weren't looking, she didn't even bother with the act.

"Tessa, you don't have to speak up for her," my father-in-law said, his face grim. "If Nicholas hadn't said something, I would have never known how much you've been suffering by her side all these years."

"Settle the accounts? Does she dare? I've always said a merchant's daughter was not fit to be a Pierce. You can't wash away the stench of money. She's just like her greedy father."

The contempt in his voice when he mentioned my father made my blood boil. My father was an honest businessman who had donated millions over the years. My father-in-law himself had taken no small amount from him under the guise of charity. And now we were the greedy ones?

I clenched my jaw and slammed my phone on the table. "I have a clear conscience. Tessa, today, in front of all our relatives, we are going to settle this. If I have taken a single cent more than I was owed, I will pay you back tenfold!"

"You" Tessa blinked at me frantically from behind everyone's backs. I ignored her.

Sweat beaded on her forehead. She twisted the hem of her dress.

Nicholas put a protective arm around her, an intimate gesture that stung my eyes. "Ashley, you don't need to threaten Tessa. Every transfer, every payment leaves a record. If you want to settle this, fine."

His support only made Tessa more flustered.

Then, my mother-in-law sighed. "It's New Year's Eve. This is no way to behave."

Her words seemed to give Tessa an idea. She composed herself. "Godmother is right. Ashley, there's no need for all this. A little extra money here and there doesn't matter. In a little while, I'll transfer you a few thousand, as a thank you for all your help over the years. Today is about family and celebration. Let's not ruin it."

Before I could speak, her strategic retreat had already provoked Nicholas. "Tessa, you can't be so naive. Even if you let it go, a person like her won't appreciate it. She's taking advantage of your good nature. She should be the one paying you back!"

He then turned to me, his voice commanding. "It's true we shouldn't make a scene. So let's do this. Let's say you've skimmed twenty thousand over the years. Transfer that to Tessa now, and we'll call it even."

His proposal met with enthusiastic agreement from the relatives.

"That seems fair. Ashley, just give her the twenty thousand. Tessa won't quibble over the exact amount, and you can all still be a happy family."

"Yes, otherwise this will get out, and it will be so embarrassing. A sister-in-law cheating her husband's younger sister disgraceful."

4.

They had convicted and sentenced me without a trial. Before I could say a word, Nicholas was holding out Tessas phone, her payment QR code displayed on the screen.

I stared at my husband, feeling as if I was seeing him for the first time. He was holding Tessas hand, shielding her behind him. Shouldn't that have been me?

"What are you waiting for? Scan the code and pay!" Nicholas's voice rose.

Seeing my silence, a triumphant smirk appeared on Tessa's face. She raised an eyebrow at me in challenge.

I took out my phone. Just as everyone thought I was about to pay, I snatched Tessas phone from Nicholas's hand.

"The proof is right here! You haven't even looked at it, and you're already accusing me. How can I accept that? Now that I have both phones, I'm going to show everyone the transfer records"

I backed away, starting to navigate the two phones.

Tessa, realizing what was happening, was horrified. Before anyone could react, she lunged at me. "Don't! Ashley, I'm trying to save you some face! Why are you being so relentless?"

She grabbed at me, her eyes red with fury. She was surprisingly strong, and in the struggle, both phones went flying.

I panicked, letting go of her to try and catch them, but I heard her scream as she threw herself onto the table laden with dishes.

The sound of shattering porcelain filled the room. She fell to the floor, clutching her hand, which was bleeding from a small cut. Tears streamed down her face. "Ashley, I've always thought of you as my own sister. I don't care about the money. But do you really hate me this much?"

The two phones lay smashed on the floor.

Before I could speak, a sharp slap cracked across my face.

The room fell silent. My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning.

"Ashley, have you lost your mind? How dare you lay a hand on Tessa?"

"She was trying to protect you, and you attack her? All for a little money? You've disappointed me more than I can say."

Nicholas rushed to Tessa's side, cradling her in his arms. He saw the tiny cut on her hand and was ready to call an ambulance.

My in-laws just shook their heads, muttering about what a disgrace this all was.

Nicholass eyes were bloodshot, his gaze filled with venom. "Ashley, I always thought you were a good wife, that you were kind to Tessa. I never realized it was all an act. We've sheltered Tessa, tried to protect her from any more pain, but you you bully her. Its true what they say, you cant trust an outsider."

"You talk about settling accounts, but then you smash the phones. You hurt Tessa. Are you satisfied now?"

I was now the villain of the story. They pointed and whispered, shaking their heads in disapproval. Tessa sobbed into Nicholass chest. I saw her let out a huge sigh of relief. She thought she had won. The phones were broken, the proof was gone, and she had turned my entire family against me.

I touched my still-numb cheek. A desolate emptiness filled me.

I bent down and picked up the shattered pieces of the phones. I took a deep breath, and then, to everyones astonishment, I sat back down.

I called out towards the door. "Mr. Davies, you can come in now."

The door opened, and a man in a sharp suit walked in, placing a file on the table.

Tessa just glanced at it, and her face went white.